Jetpacks are high in the radar of the U.S. Military as there are significant developments in jetpack technology. Inventors are showing the jetpacks have advantages for military applications given that soldiers can provide support from the air when there are no air assets available or the ability to respond quickly even at greater distances without the need of air transports.

One demonstration done by the British Royal Marines on boarding a ship was shown a year ago. The jetpack used is being developed by Gravity Industries, a company we have already featured here on Popular Airsoft. The use of jetpacks makes it easier for soldiers to board the ship with advance units in jetpacks paving the way for the rest.

According to Task & Purpose, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has already selected “several” small companies to receive Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding awards “to build flight test prototypes” for the agency’s Portable Personal Air Mobility System program. The amount involved is said to be US$750,000 over a period of two years.

The development of Jetpacks has been the dream of military inventors ever since rocket and jet engines were introduced. The problem is how to create a more manageable and compact engine that can be worn by the soldier/pilot and can easily be maneuvered during take-off, landing, and while in the air. It is also a question of flight time in which the jetpack can be up in the air to allow the wearer to perform a crucial mission with enough time to spare.

If jetpacks become mission certified, the air mobility troops get a more flexible platform to use without waiting for air transports when time is of the essence. They can also be brought to the frontlines where they can be used for quick reconnaissance as well as assaulting positions from above. Once they are able to, perhaps they can start working on weapons like those used by the Mandalorians seen in the Star Wars franchise.